Wainwright Pitches Cardinals to 3-2 Win Over Reds

A little vintage Adam Wainwright and another booed hit by Yadier Molina have the St. Louis Cardinals headed up.

Wainwright allowed only two hits in six innings, and Molina's bases-loaded single snapped a tie in the eighth on Thursday night, sending the St. Louis Cardinals to a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 and yet another series win in their lopsided NL Central rivalry.

Molina's third hit of the game led St. Louis to its fourth victory in five games. The Cardinals (32-28) are a season-high four games over .500, tied with the Pirates for second place, 10 games behind the Cubs.

St. Louis took two of three and has won 18 of its last 22 series with Cincinnati.

Wainwright's slow start to the season was a part of the Cardinals' struggles. He's gotten his fastball back and has thrown five straight quality starts, with this one the best yet.

"It's been building toward that," Wainwright said. "That's me out there. That's exactly how I pitch."

The Cardinal who gets booed the loudest in Cincinnati was in the middle of another comeback. His one-out single off Ross Ohlendorf (4-5) put St. Louis up 3-2 and drew jeers. Molina has been booed regularly at Great American Ball Park since a brawl that started between him and Brandon Phillips in 2010.

"Yadi's been a Reds killer for years and years and years," Wainwright said. "He's the guy you want up there in the big spot."

Molina also doubled and scored a run in the second inning, getting booed that time, too.

Seung Hwan Oh (2-0) pitched one inning in relief of Wainwright, who was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh with two runners aboard and the score tied. Trevor Rosenthal retired the side in the ninth for his 11th save in 12 chances.

Matt Carpenter scored twice, including the go-ahead run after opening the eighth inning with a double.

White Sox 3, Nationals 1

Todd Frazier wondered if going to church more would help the White Sox break out of their funk. Then the Chicago third baseman suggested a scuffle with teammate Adam Eaton.

"I'll put him on a hook here," Frazier said, smiling. "They'll say, `What are you doing?' Well, Fraze is trying to shake things up."

A few hours later, the White Sox found a way to win with Eaton staying on the ground.

Melky Cabrera doubled twice and drove in two runs, Miguel Gonzalez pitched six strong innings after securing a rotation spot and the White Sox held off the Washington Nationals 3-1 on Thursday night to snap a five-game skid.

How much did the White Sox need this win?

"Big time. Bad," catcher Dioner Navarro said. "We've been scuffling. We are in a bad spot right now, but we know what it takes. Today, baby steps."

Gonzalez (1-1) won his first game with Chicago after losing seven straight decisions dating to last season with Baltimore. The right-hander retired the first 12 batters he faced, giving up three hits and a run.

Thursday, June 9 Scoreboard

Texas 5, Houston 3

Colorado 11, Pittsburgh 5

New York Yankees 6, Los Angeles Angels 3

Baltimore 6, Toronto 5

St. Louis 3, Cincinnati 2

Chicago White Sox 3, Washington 1

New York Mets 5, Milwaukee 2

Miami 10, Minnesota 3

Cleveland 5, Seattle 3

Friday, June 10 Schedule (All Times Central)

Detroit at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

Philadelphia at Washington, 6:05 p.m.

St. Louis at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

Baltimore at Toronto, 6:07 p.m.

Oakland at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Houston at Tampa Bay, 6:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Atlanta , 6:35 p.m.

Kansas City at Chicago White Sox, 7:10 p.m.

New York Mets at Milwaukee, 7:10 p.m.

Boston at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

San Diego at Colorado 7:40 p.m.

Miami at Arizona, 8:40 p.m.

Cleveland at Los Angeles Angels 9:05 p.m.

Texas at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco, 9:15 p.m.

Saturday, June 11 Schedule (All Times Central)

Philadelphia at Washington, 11:05 a.m.

Baltimore at Toronto , 12:07 p.m.

Kansas City at Chicago White Sox 1:10 p.m.

Boston at Minnesota 1:10 p.m.

New York Mets at Milwaukee, 3:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Atlanta, 3:10 p.m.

Oakland at Cincinnati 3:10 p.m.

San Diego at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

Houston at Tampa Bay, 3:10 p.m.

Detroit at New York Yankees, 6:15 p.m.

St. Louis at Pittsburgh, 6:15 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco, 6:15 p.m.

Cleveland at Los Angeles Angels, 9:05 p.m.

Texas at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

Miami at Arizona, 9:10 p.m.

Sunday, June 12 Schedule (All Times Central)

Baltimore at Toronto 12:07 p.m.

Oakland at Cincinnati, 12:10 p.m.

Houston at Tampa Bay, 12:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Atlanta, 12:35 p.m.

Detroit at New York Yankees, 1:05 p.m.

Kansas City at Chicago White Sox, 1:10 p.m.

New York Mets at Milwaukee, 1:10 p.m.

Boston at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.

Cleveland at Los Angeles Angels, 2:35 p.m.

Philadelphia at Washington, 3:05 p.m.

Texas at Seattle, 3:10 p.m.

San Diego at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

Miami at Arizona, 3:10 p.m.

St. Louis at Pittsburgh, 4 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco, 7:30 p.m.